Scaffold a new Next.js application with App Router, TypeScript, and modern defaults. Covers project creation, directory structure, routing setup, and initial configuration. Use when starting a new web application project, creating a React-based frontend with server-side rendering, building a full-stack application with API routes, or setting up a TypeScript web project from scratch.
Scanned 9/3/2026
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---
name: scaffold-nextjs-app
locale: caveman
source_locale: en
source_commit: 82c77053
fence_basis_commit: 82c77053
translator: "Julius Brussee homage — caveman"
translation_date: "2026-05-03"
description: >
Scaffold a new Next.js application with App Router, TypeScript,
and modern defaults. Covers project creation, directory structure,
routing setup, and initial configuration. Use when starting a new web
application project, creating a React-based frontend with server-side
rendering, building a full-stack application with API routes, or setting
up a TypeScript web project from scratch.
license: MIT
allowed-tools: Read Write Edit Bash Grep Glob
metadata:
author: Philipp Thoss
version: "1.0"
domain: web-dev
complexity: basic
language: TypeScript
tags: nextjs, react, typescript, app-router, scaffold
---
# Scaffold Next.js App
Make new Next.js app with App Router, TypeScript, prod-ready defaults.
## When Use
- Start new web app project
- Make React frontend with server-side rendering
- Build full-stack app with API routes
- Set up TypeScript web project
## Inputs
- **Required**: App name
- **Required**: Package manager (npm, yarn, pnpm)
- **Optional**: Tailwind CSS (default: yes)
- **Optional**: ESLint (default: yes)
- **Optional**: src/ dir structure (default: yes)
## Steps
### Step 1: Create Project
```bash
npx create-next-app@latest my-app \
--typescript \
--tailwind \
--eslint \
--app \
--src-dir \
--import-alias "@/*"
```
Answer prompts or use flags to set all options non-interactive.
**Got:** Project dir made with all deps installed.
**If fail:** Check Node.js version (`node --version`, must be >= 18.17). Ensure `npx` available. Command hangs on prompts? Add `--use-npm` (or `--use-pnpm`/`--use-yarn`) to skip package manager prompt.
### Step 2: Verify Project Structure
```text
my-app/
├── src/
│ ├── app/
│ │ ├── layout.tsx # Root layout
│ │ ├── page.tsx # Home page
│ │ ├── globals.css # Global styles
│ │ └── favicon.ico
│ └── lib/ # Shared utilities (create manually)
├── public/ # Static assets
├── next.config.ts # Next.js configuration
├── tailwind.config.ts # Tailwind configuration
├── tsconfig.json # TypeScript configuration
├── package.json
└── .eslintrc.json
```
**Got:** All listed dirs and files present.
**If fail:** `src/` dir missing? `--src-dir` flag not passed. Re-run `create-next-app` with flag, or move files manually into `src/app/`.
### Step 3: Configure Next.js
Edit `next.config.ts` for project needs.
```typescript
import type { NextConfig } from "next";
const nextConfig: NextConfig = {
// Enable React strict mode
reactStrictMode: true,
// Image optimization domains
images: {
remotePatterns: [
{
protocol: "https",
hostname: "example.com",
},
],
},
};
export default nextConfig;
```
**Got:** `next.config.ts` saved without TypeScript errors.
**If fail:** File uses `.js` not `.ts`? Rename. Ensure `NextConfig` type imported from `"next"`.
### Step 4: Set Up Directory Conventions
Make common dirs.
```bash
mkdir -p src/app/api
mkdir -p src/components
mkdir -p src/lib
mkdir -p src/types
```
**Got:** All four dirs made under `src/`.
**If fail:** `src/` does not exist? Make it first or adjust paths to match (non-src layout uses `app/` at root).
### Step 5: Create Base Layout
Edit `src/app/layout.tsx`.
```tsx
import type { Metadata } from "next";
import { Inter } from "next/font/google";
import "./globals.css";
const inter = Inter({ subsets: ["latin"] });
export const metadata: Metadata = {
title: "My Application",
description: "Application description",
};
export default function RootLayout({
children,
}: {
children: React.ReactNode;
}) {
return (
<html lang="en">
<body className={inter.className}>{children}</body>
</html>
);
}
```
**Got:** Layout renders with Inter font, wraps all pages.
**If fail:** Font fails to load? Check network. Replace `Inter` with system font fallback as temp workaround.
### Step 6: Add Example API Route
Make `src/app/api/health/route.ts`.
```typescript
import { NextResponse } from "next/server";
export async function GET() {
return NextResponse.json({ status: "ok", timestamp: new Date().toISOString() });
}
```
**Got:** File made at `src/app/api/health/route.ts`.
**If fail:** Ensure `api/health/` dir exists. File must export named HTTP method handlers (`GET`, `POST`, etc.), not default export.
### Step 7: Run Dev Server
```bash
cd my-app
npm run dev
```
**Got:** App running at http://localhost:3000.
**If fail:** Check Node.js version (>= 18.17). Run `npm install` if deps missing.
## Checks
- [ ] `npm run dev` starts without errors
- [ ] Home page loads at localhost:3000
- [ ] TypeScript compiles
- [ ] Tailwind CSS classes applied
- [ ] API route responds at /api/health
- [ ] ESLint runs without errors (`npm run lint`)
## Pitfalls
- **Node.js version**: Next.js needs Node.js >= 18.17. Check with `node --version`.
- **Port conflicts**: Default port 3000 may be used. Use `npm run dev -- -p 3001`.
- **Import alias confusion**: `@/*` maps to `src/*`. Do not confuse with node_modules imports.
- **Pages vs App Router**: Ensure App Router (`src/app/`) not Pages (`src/pages/`).
## See Also
- `setup-tailwind-typescript` - detailed Tailwind + TypeScript config
- `deploy-to-vercel` - deploy scaffolded app
- `configure-git-repository` - version control setup
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